It can fix a divot on a golf course, measure the tread left on a tire and file your nails. You can use it to pull a nail out of a board, cut a cigar or pick your teeth.

It’s the Giant Collector’s Knife, an innovation marketed by Wenger, the maker of the Swiss Army Knife that has its North American headquarters in Orangeburg.

The folks at the Guinness Book of World Records liked the product enough to name it the world’s most multi-functional penknife. The publishers of the famed record book even created a new category for the nine-inch-wide, three-pound knife.

Dennis Piretra, director of marketing for the Orangeburg operations, acknowledged the product has some bulkiness to it.

“Thi is not exactly going to win any awards for lightest, smallest or most efficient tools with which to go backpacking,� he said in a statement released by the company. “It is, however, getting a lot of attention and is the best platform for showcasing our product capabilities.�

The innovation, manufactured in Delemont, Switzerland, has 87 implements and carries a retail price of $1,200.

The implements, which have at least 141 uses, include a laser pointer, a flashlight, seven blades, wrenches and a fish scaler. There’s a nail cleaner, tweezers and a number of screwdrivers.

Kraft Foods Inc. is pushing ahead with a campaign to remake its iconic Maxwell House brand by reformulating the coffee, changing the packaging and embarking on a new advertising campaign.
The changes affect one of the key brands that Kraft manages at its beverage unit in Tarrytown.

The advertising campaign, under the theme, “It’s A New Morning. Brew Some Good,� includes national television spots and print advertisements, product sampling at major retailers and online promotions at www.brewsomegood.com.

The ad campaign “furthers Kraft’s commitment to contemporize even our most iconic brands for a new generation of consumers,� said Lorraine Hansen, senior vice president and general manager of coffee at Kraft. “This is by far our best coffee ever. For years, Maxwell House has been an important part of America’s homes and communities.�

Kraft’s attempt to remake Maxwell House comes several months after the billionaire investor Nelson Peltz of Mount Kisco advocated that Kraft pump up a lackluster stock price by selling the Maxwell House and Post cereal business to focus on stronger brands. On Nov. 15, Kraft announced the $2.6 billion sale of Post to Ralcorp Holdings Inc., a major player in the market for private-label cereals and baked goods. Kraft managed Post from Tarrytown as recently as 2004 but the brand has since been moved to the company’s snacks and cereals unit in East Hanover, N.J.

In a key change at Maxwell House, Kraft said it will now offer a range of coffees made completely from Arabica beans that “are known for their superior quality, rich aroma and distinctive taste.�

The reformulated coffee is scheduled to be available in stores nationally this fall. The largest sizes also will include revamped packaging with a flavor-lock lid and a handle that is easier to use.

Kraft employs about 600 workers in Tarrytown. Most work in research and development and the beverage unit that also oversee such brands as Maxwell House, Country Time, Kool-Aid and Crystal Light.

In the promotion this weekend, two Maxwell House coffee kiosks will offer samples of hot coffee in the Palisades Center this morning and Sunday morning until about noon. The kiosks will be in front of The Cheesecake Factory and Lord & Taylor on the first floor of the mall.

Nutrition 21 Inc., a Purchase-based maker of nutritional supplements, is introducing new nutritional supplement called Core4Life Advanced Memory Formula.

The supplement combines chromium picolinate, phosphatidylserine and DHA, ingredients Nutrition 21 says play an important role in helping improve memory and maintain brain health.

Chappaqua-based Reader’s Digest Association and its online recipe site, Allrecipes.com, have created the Food Advertising Network RDA. The network is designed to serve small and medium-sized companies that want to advertise in the online food category. The network includes the food sites Allrecipes.com, TasteOfHome.com, RachaelRayMag.com and ChefsCatalog.com. Allrecipes.com has 15 million annual visitors. The new network features a technology called AdWizardRDA, a self-serve advertising service. Companies can create their own display ads by selecting from ready-made templates or uploading their own creative content. AdWizard allows advertisers to target ads geographically, which is desirable for regional brands that only sell their products in a few areas of the country.

Fortunoff has partnered with a maker of organic cotton clothing and other products to begin selling 100 percent organic bedding, towels and lounge wear.

The “green� shop opened today at Fortunoff’s White Plains store as well as it Westbury, Long Island, shop, Fortunoff said.

Products are available on the retailer’s Web site (www.fortunoff.com).

Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. reported today that its Pomona-based Barr Laboratories Inc. subsidiary was granted tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a generic version of a drug to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

The tentative OK doesn’t allow Barr to begin marketing the drug. Rather, it is a signal by the FDA that Barr’s generic version of Mirapex “satisfies the substantive requirements for approval.�

Barr said it filed an application with the FDA in 2005 to begin selling a generic version of Mirapex tablets, setting in motion a lawsuit brought by the brand-name drug’s manufacturer, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Barr said a trial was scheduled for Nov. 5, but a judicial vacancy leaves the case’s start date in limbo.

Mirapex had annual sales of about $324 million for the year ending August, based on industry sales data, Barr said.

Comcast Corp. has added 36 new networks to its channels in the Carmel area, including nine high-definition channels, the company announced. The new HD channels, which are accessible to digital cable customers with an HD set-top box, include Starz, TNT, MOJO, A&E, Food, National Geographic, HGTV, ESPN2 and MHD. The new offerings also include five international networks and 13 Spanish-speaking networks, which are available for an extra fee. Comcast, which provides cable, entertainment and communications products and services nationwide, has 24.1 million cable customers, 12.4 million high-speed Internet customers and 3.5 million voice customers, the company said.

Sierra Mist will bring back its Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash! drink for the second season in a row, this time in a diet version as well, Purchase-based Pepsi-Cola North America announced today. The holiday-inspired drink has a splash of cranberry added to the original lemon-lime flavor of the carbonated beverage. It will be available through the holiday starting this month. For more information, visit www.sierramist.com.

EpiCept Corp. reports it has completed initial clinical trials for a drug to treat patients with certain types of cancer.

EpiCept said the trial, which began in December at three U.S. cancer centers, involved 17 patients with a variety of different types of cancer, including melanoma, prostate, lung, breast, colon, and pancreatic.

The Eastview-based pharmaceutical company said the Phase I trial met all of the company’s objectives, including determining the maximum effective dose of the drug, known as EPC2407.

A second Phase I trial is expected to begin early next year. The company is also planning tests to determine to what degree EPC2407 can help other cancer drugs, such as Cisplatin, Sutent and Avastin, be more effective. That trial is also expected to start early next year, EpiCept said.

MasterCard Worldwide announced today that its MasterCard PayPass will be accepted at all PETCO stores. MasterCard, based in Purchase, has introduced the PayPass with a variety of retailers. To pay, customers just tap their PayPass-enabled card or device on the PayPass reader. PETCO will continue to accept traditional payment cards.

Mary Ann Liebert Inc., a publisher of biotechnology journals, said today it has started a biotech video channel hosted on its Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News Web site (www.genengnews.com) .

“We have launched the video component to complement our print and online editions,” said John Sterling, the publication’s editor-in-chief.

The first video to run on GEN’s biotech video channel is a corporate-overview video about GE Healthcare Life Sciences.

The Piscataway, N.J.,-based unit of General Electric Co. was chosen because its business is similar in breadth to GEN’s coverage and is relevant to the Web site’s audience, the New Rochelle-based company said.

Nearly 20 companies in the Lower Hudson Valley are among thousands recognized by Inc. magazine in its first Inc. 5000 list, a compilation of the nation’s fastest-growing private businesses.

Topping the rankings in the region at No. 680 was Partnership Employment and Perennial Resources International, a provider of temporary and executive personnel for the financial services, real estate and manufacturing sectors. The Valhalla company has 35 employees and had revenues last year of $10 million.

In recognizing Partnership Employment, Inc. magazine said the company was noteworthy for its ability to not only help human-resource departments find workers but also represent HR execs when they themselves are looking for work.

Among the 17 other Lower Hudson Valley businesses on the list were QueBit Consulting, Scarsdale; JMC Holdings, Tuckahoe; Pricequotes.com, Pomona; and C.W. Brown, Thornwood.

Go to www.inc.com/inc5000 for the complete list.

A new version of IBM’s Lotus Notes, used by 25,000 businesses, has social networking tools and an RSS reader.

Armonk-based IBM Corp. today introduced Lotus Notes 8 and Lotus Domino 8, which have been in development for two years.

Penny Scharfman, program director for Lotus Notes and Domino, said IBM has expanded the program beyond its roots as an e-mail, calender and contact tool.

“This is a game changer,� she said. “This is a major release of the product. We’ve virtually transformed what used to be an e-mail client into a fully integrated business client.�
Lotus users will now be able to share bookmarks of Web sites and content like instant message logs or documents.

The new version also allows customers to recall messages sent by mistake.
The presentation of e-mail has also been revamped to group messages with related subjects into “conversations.� Instead of facing an inbox with 200 e-mails, users will see a dozen or so conversation threads.

“Businesses need to get work done, and it’s our job to simplify it because ultimately that drives employee productivity,� Scharfman said.

More than 5,000 New York City taxis will accept MasterCard PayPass by this December, the Purchase-based credit card giant said. Some taxis started accepting PayPass in June. Taxi riders tap their PayPass cards or devices on a reader in the taxi that’s connected to a payment system from VeriFone Holdings, a provider of secure electronic payment systems. Fares under $25 don’t require a signature or a swipe. Riders can add a tip. MasterCard said using PayPass cuts 45 seconds off the transaction time compared to cash and 15 seconds compared to swiping a traditional payment card. MasterCard is introducing its cashless payment systems in subways, buses, ferries, parking lots and tolls. The company said it has more than 16 million PayPass cards and devices in use at 55,000 locations around the world.

Monkey Muffins Inc., a healthy snack muffin business started in the Nyack homes of entrepreneur moms Lisa Coates and Robin Rarrick, is introducing a new flavor in time for the school year. Apple Cinnamon Monkey Muffins will arrive on store shelves on Sept. 1, joining Chocolate Chip, Banana and Pumpkin. The all-natural, bite-size muffins are packaged in 2-ounce servings in a special tray designed to keep the muffins safe inside lunchboxes. Monkey Muffins are sold at 1,500 retail stores and at www.monkeymuffins.com.

If you’re a buttoned-down grown-up who’s never held a joystick in your hand or killed an alien on a video screen, you can quit reading right now. Everybody else: Get ready for a soft drink designed to fuel your gaming fantasies.

Purchase-based Pepsi-Cola North America is releasing a new version of its Mountain Dew brand called “Mountain Duel Game Fuel� that’s tied to the Sept. 25 release of the video game “Halo 3.�

Frank Cooper, vice of marketing for Mountain Dew, said this is the first time the beverage-maker has created a drink for an entertainment title, calling the game “Halo 3� a “cultural phenomenon.�

In November 2004, “Halo 2� had $125 million in sales in the first 24 hours and is still the most-played game on Microsoft’s Xbox Live online gaming network.

The drink was created with late-night playing habits of Microsoft’s Xbox devotees title in mind. Game Fuel tastes like Mountain Dew with a “blast of citrus cherry� — and boasts 30 percent more caffeine than the original.

Game Fuel is reaching store shelves today and will be sold in 20-ounce and 2-liter bottles as well as 12-packs of 12-ounce cans through November.

Heineken USA of White Plains is introducing a new tap for its Heineken Premium Light “Draughtkeg.� The patented technology for pouring beer keeps it fresh for up to 30 days after tapping. The new tap dispenses beer from the top of a keg using an internal carbon dioxide system. Traditional gravity-fed kegs require the tap to hang over the side of a surface like a table. The Heineken Premium Light Draughtkeg is a recyclable, lightweight steel keg. It will be available starting this month. The Heineken Draughtkeg has been for sale since June. The keg sells for $19.99.

Mary Ann Liebert Inc. of New Rochelle is starting a journal focusing on the legal challenges that adversely affect the health and well being of people in minority and low-income populations. The first issue of Environmental Justice, a peer-reviewed quarterly journal, will come out in early 2008. Readers will include attorneys as well as professionals in public health and health policy, housing and community development, environmental planners, legislators, industry and citizen activists.

IBM Corp. announced that it has developed a new system to help the pharmaceutical industry fight the growing problem of counterfeit prescription drugs.

The technology allows pharmaceutical companies to use bar codes or radio-frequency identification tags to create an electronic record for every medication that originates at their plants. Under the system, all parties involved in the drug supply chain, including manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and hospitals, will be able to access the historical data on individual bottles or packages of medicine to verify its authenticity.

AmerisourceBergen, a major pharmaceutical distributor based in Valley Forge, Pa., is testing the system in a pilot project in Sacramento, Calif.

Armonk-based IBM said it also is working with other drug companies to improve the system at a time when new regulations are tackling the counterfeiting problem. In California, under regulations effective in 2009, all medications sold in the state must include a detailed history that documents their movement from the factory to the pharmacy.

“This system has the potential to improve the integrity of the entire drug supply chain by allowing users to quickly authenticate pharmaceutical products through direct data exchange with trading partners,� said Christian C. Clauss, director of sensor information management at IBM Software Group.

In a report last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that counterfeit drugs are rare in the United States.

But the FDA report added that “the U.S. drug supply is increasingly vulnerable to a variety of increasingly sophisticated threats. We have witnessed an increase in counterfeiting activities and a more sophisticated ability to introduce finished dosage form counterfeits into legitimate drug distribution channels over the years.�

In May, the agency warned that 24 Web sites likely operating outside the United States may have been involved in distributing counterfeit prescription drugs.

Consumers can already buy a hamburger, a movie ticket, a cup of coffee or other small items by pulling out their credit or debit cards.

Now, MasterCard Inc. is involved in the biggest test yet of card payment technology in soft-drink vending machines. The Purchase-based company announced yesterday that it is joining Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc., the largest bottler of Coke products, to install 7,500 cashless payment terminals in vending machines in major U.S. cities.

Instead of fumbling in their pockets to find the correct change, thirsty consumers can pay with plastic.
MasterCard will test the systems in New York, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami and Seattle. The deployment will more than double the number of terminals installed in Coca-Cola vending machines in the United States. The payment terminals, known as e-Port, were developed by USA Technologies, a company in Malvern, Pa., that specializes in wireless payment systems.

In addition to providing greater speed for consumers, vending machine operators can monitor machine usage online. MasterCard also has found that consumers spend more at vending machines when they have the option of paying with plastic.

Steady growth in the outlets that accept credit and debit cards, including vending machines, have boosted MasterCard’s profits. MasterCard, the second largest card brand after Visa International, said last week that it processed 4.6 billion transactions during the second quarter, up 15.2 percent from a year earlier. Excluding special one-time items, earnings were up 93.1 percent over a year earlier.